Mechanism for air and fuel control



. Jan. 16, 1923.

E. G. SHORTT. MEcHANlsM FOR Am AND FUEL CONTROL.

FILED JAN. l2, 192i- EXHAUST 35 Patented `lan. 16, 1923.

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EDWARD G. SHO'RTT, OF CARTIE-IAGE, NEW YORK, ASSIO-NOR OF ONE-HALF TOALEX- NDER E. GEBBIE AND IDA. T. GEBBIE, BOTH OF LOWVILLE, NEW YORK.

MECHANISM FOR AIR AND FUEL CONTROL.

application med VJanuary 12, 1921. serial No. 436,853.

T o all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. SHORTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Carthage, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Airand Fuel Control, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mechanism for air and fuel control, and'hasfor its object toprovide a device for vaporizing hydrocarbon fuel bymeans of an air jet, commingling the same with air and fuel inproportions and igniting to forni a burning mixture onthe way to avacuum space, initially heating the motor for starting purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vaporizer, whereinheated air is provided to commingle with hydrocarbon fuel, to convertthe same by heat into a permanent gas, and with means for au'tomaticallycombining and controlling the flow of fuel and air in proper portions,thus forining a perfect burning mixture.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby whenstarting, hydrooarbon fuel and air are introduced and ignited and insuch ignited and, therefore, heated condition, are supplied to thecylinders for initially heating the same, preliminary to theintroduction of the explosive charge, by means of an independent switchand vibrating coil, which makes a continuous series of sparks, so longas the switch is turned on. When cylinders are sufficiently heated, theindependent switch is turned off and the charge isignitedin thecylinders in the regular way.

With these and other objects in view, the device comprises certain novelunits, combinations, arrangements, functions and inter-connections aswill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the air and fuel controller in side elevation,diagrammatically connected with a heating unit, a source of electricalenergy and a fuel supply unit, and

Figure 2 is a side view of the air and fuel controller in longitudinaldiametrical section.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The improved air and fuel controller, which forms in part the subjectmatter of this application, comprises a housing 10 adapted to beconnected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion enginethrough the connection 11. The housing combines a passage 12 inalinement with the connection 11, so that air passing through suchopening 12 into the intake manifold, is controlled by the valves 13 and14, located therein and journaled upon shafts 15 and 16 respectively.The shafts 15 and 16 carry arms 17 and 18, pivoted in spaced relationupon a link 19 connected with any appropriate manual control. As it isdesired that the valve 14 shall open more rapidly and therefore providea greater inlet of air than the valve 13, the link 19 is connectednormally with the arm 18 nearer the shaft 16 than its connection withthe arm 17, thus producing a differential movement. Other adjustingholes 20 in the arm 18 are provided for a differential adjustment sothat the valve 14 may open or close still more rapidly as the occasionmay require.

Between the valves 13 and 14 a chamber 21 is formed which will behereinafter referred to as the expansion chamber. Communicating 'withthe expansion chamber is a passage 22 leading to a chamber 23 formed inthe head 24. The chamber 23 is closed by a diaphragm 25 secured theretoin any approved manner, as by the screws 26. The neck 27 intermediatethe head 24 and the body 10 accommodates a valve stem 28 carrying aconical valve 29l simultaneously closing the fuel inlet passage 30 andthe air inlet passage 31. The fuel inlet passage 30 communicates throughany convenient conduit 32 with a source offuel supply, indicated as thetank 33 at Figure 1, while the air inlet 31 communicates through theconduit 34 with a pipe 35 passing through the exhaust manifold 36 of theengine, and, therefore, supplying heated air to said air inlet 31.Within the housing 10 a spark plug 37 is located, having the usualspaced terminals 38 adjacent the air and fuel inlets 30 and 31respectively. The spark plug 37 is in circuit with the battery 39, shownconventionally at Figure 1, being supplied from a source of electricalenergy 39 to a separate switch 40 and vibrating coil located at 41. Instarting, therefore the supplying of current to the spark plug 37 willcause a spark at the ter- 'i f/ minals`38 to ignite the incoming fuelmixture,..which, byl the action of the starter is drawn into thecylinders in'heated condition. As soon as the cylinders and manifoldhave become suiciently heated, which will follow a few revolutions ofthe starter, the motor is in condition to operate Without furtheryignition fromy the spark plug 37,

Awhich is then cut out, the engine continuing to operate by theintroduction of fuel in the 'usual manner.

the valve 29 normally yieldingly seated.

The attenuation of the tension within the chamber` 21 is communicatedthroughthe passage 22 to the chamber 23, a check/valve 44 being providedto prevent pulsations from effecting chamber y23 but allowing thepassage of suiicient air tol maintain the general uniformity of pressurein the chambers 21 and 23. The density of the air in chamber 23 is equalto that in chamber 21. Whatever difference there is between the densityof the air in expansion chamber 21 and chamber 23, causes the diaphragm25 to vary the movement of valve 29 independent of atmosphericconditions and to correspond to such increase or decrease of pressure inchambers 21 and 23 in accordance with Marriotts law. The valves 13 and14 perform, therefore, not only the function of the ordinary throttle ofan internal combustion engine, but, by reason of their differentialamplitude of movement, produce between/such valves an attenuation whichin itself also controls the feed of fuel, such supply being controlleddirectly by' the pressure of the external atmosphere upon the diaphragm25, overbalancing the attenuation of the air within the chamber 23,combined with the resiliency of the spring 43. In addition to the abovecontrol, it is well known that barometric variations of the air undercertain conditions result in very considerable variations of eiliciencyin burning mixtures.

The diaphragm 25 is practically a platform scale, the atmospheric columnresting on said diaphragm. The underside of diaphragm 25 is supported bya calibrated spring 43, to suit the expansion required. Therefore anychange that takes place in the atmospheric, column, either by havinggreater or less weight, which makes it plain that the atmospheric columnis balanced by the tension of the spring 43 and any fluctuaifi-ganas.'vl

tion in th'e atmosphere is practically and positively weighed by thediaphragm 25,' which is a true weighing mechanism', whichever way .thefluctuation tends to act. This density is established to act inunisonwith the lspring 43 and also to the movement of the valves -13 and14 in exact accordance .Y

with Marriotts law. l

When the engine is stopped, air passes the valve 44 and releases thetension within the chamber 23, whereupon the diaphragm con-- trolledair' and fuel valve 29 automatically closes. e

What I claim t'o be new is:

1. An air and fuel control comprising an air inlet conduit and' a-fuelinlet conduit," a valve controlling both conduits, a spring Y tending tohold the valve normally closed,a diaphragm bearing upon the/spring andone side open to the atmosphere, the. other side open to a chamberinclosing said spring, an expansion chamber having communication withthe diaphragm chamber, and means to -manually regulate the degree ofexpansion within the expansion chamber.

2. An air and fuel control comprising an inlet housing, air and fuelconduits communicating with the housin a valve positioned to close theair and uel conduits, a y spring tending normally to hold the valveclosed, a diaphragm bearing upon the spring and enclosed in a chambersurrounding said spring, one side of said diaphragm open to theatmosphere the other side within the chamber, an expansion chamber,valves located within the expansion chamber, means to simultaneouslymanually actuate the l valves, said means providing for the opening ofthe' valves to different amplitudes, a conduit leading from theexpansionv chamber to the diaphragm chamber, and means for obstructingiiow from the expansionv chamber to the diaphragm chamber through saidconduit.

3. An air and fuel control comprising an inlet housing, air and -fuelconduits communicating with said housing, a diaphragm lchamber locatedadjacent said conduits, a valve adapted to close said conduits, a valvestem extending from said valve into said 115 diaphragm chamber, a springtending to normally hold the said valve in closed position, a diaphragmclosing the diaphragm chamber and bearing upon the valve stem,

an inletconduit, spaced valves located in V v and means to ignite thecombined fuel and air from the conduits in the inlet chamber.

L1. In an air and fuel control, an air pasl' sage provided with spaceddifferentially lopening valves, a chamber in communicaopening Valves, a.chamber communicating A l with the space intermediate the valves, adia-v phragm covering the chamber, andan inlet 4valve controlled by theflexing of the diaphragm..

5.. n an air and fuel control, an air passage provided with spaceddifferentially signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EDWARD G. SHORTT.

Witnesses:

W. W. SWEET, MARY E. Swxmr.

